Bible Reading: Isaiah 17,18 &19: Ephesians 5:17-33
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” Ephesians 5:20 (KJV)
The place of thanksgiving in our worship and service to God cannot be overemphasized. Thanksgiving can be given to God from two perspectives, giving God thanks for what He has done and thanking God for what He will and capable of doing. The first thanksgiving is predicated on appreciation while the second is based on faith which is a product of trust and confidence in God’s Word. The bible contains God’s instructions and promises which has the power of transformation and translation. When we live and operate by these divine instructions and promises righteously we begin to operate in the realm of divinity. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” 2 Peter 1:4 (KJV). These promises are exceedingly great and precious and has the potential of full manifestation in the physical and carries the power of transformation. This is the transformational angle of the word. It is also translational as espoused in Colossians 1:12-13(KJV), “Giving thanks unto the father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” We are partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light through the word of God.
Thanking God for what He has done is an appreciation and gratitude. It is a demonstration of gratitude for what He has done which is in the past. These two types of thanksgiving must be present in our prayers for it to be effective as stated in Philippians 4:6(KJV), “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.” Jesus Christ demonstrated the effectiveness of thanksgiving in the raising of Lazarus from the dead and feeding of the five thousand. In the case of Lazarus, He thanked God for always hearing him and for what he is about to do before He took action (John 11:42-43). The same principle he applied in the feeding of the four thousand (Matthew 15: 36-38). In these two episodes the objects of prayer were dead Lazarus and feeding the multitude of more than four thousand with seven loaves of bread and a few little fishes. Thanksgiving shows God our trust and confidence in Him which He so much cherishes from His children. Giving God thanks for what he has done and according to His promise for what He will do, attracts divine attention that will move God to defend His name and His word. Thanksgiving in prayer is bringing God and His ability first before any issue. It is a way of saying Lord I take you by your word and nothing is above You and Your word.
My dear reader, not accepting Christ into your life and living righteously by His teaching is a gross act of ingratitude to God. I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God that you embrace Christ into your life to facilitate your relationship with God and guarantee answers to your prayers.
Prayer: Father with a deep heart of gratitude I thank you for all You have done and Your exceeding great and precious promises on what You will and can do.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo